Electrosurgery uses an RF electrosurgical generator (also known as an electrosurgical unit or ESU) and a handpiece with an electrode to provide high frequency, alternating radio frequency (RF) current input at various voltages to cut or coagulate biological tissue. The handpiece may be a monopolar instrument with one electrode or a bipolar instrument with two electrodes. When using a monopolar instrument, a return electrode pad is attached to the patient and the high frequency electrical current flows from the generator, to the monopolar instrument, through the patient to the patient return electrode pad, and back to the generator. Monopolar electrosurgery is commonly used due to its versatility and effectiveness. However, the excessive beat generated with monopolar electrosurgery can cause excessive tissue damage and necrosis of the tissue because the return electrode positioned on the back of the patient causes high voltage and high RF energy to pass through the patient.
In bipolar electrosurgery, active output and patient return functions both occur at the surgery site because both the active and return electrodes are contained in the bipolar instrument. Therefore, the path of the electrical current is confined to the biological tissue located between the active and return electrodes. Although bipolar electrosurgery enables the use of lower voltages and less energy than monopolar electrosurgery and thereby reduces or eliminates the likelihood of tissue damage and sparking associated with monopolar electrosurgery, it has limited ability to cut and coagulate large bleeding areas.
It is also common to use argon beam coagulators during electrosurgery. In argon beam coagulation (ABC), current is applied to tissue by a directed beam of ionized argon gas which causes a uniform and shallow coagulation surface thereby stopping blood loss. However, argon beam enhanced cutting may also be performed using application of an ionized argon gas.
At present, electrosurgery is often the best method for cutting and argon beam coagulation is often the best method for cessation of bleeding during surgery. Surgeons typically need to switch between argon beam coagulation and electrosurgery modes depending on what is happening during the surgery and what they need to achieve at a particular point in the surgery such as cutting, or making incisions in tissue, or stopping the bleeding at the surgical site.
However, since surgical tools and devices currently available to surgeons require switching between these two methods during the surgical procedure, there is a need for a surgical device or tool that enables a surgeon or user to utilize the best methods used for cutting and cessation of bleeding at the surgical site at the same time, or simultaneously, in addition to being able to use them separately. An electrosurgery blade assembly with argon beam capability and an electrosurgery pencil with argon beam capability that utilizes such an electrosurgery blade assembly can provide a user or surgeon with safe, efficient, effective, and flexible ways to both cut and coagulate tissue during electrosurgery.